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Daily Real Estate News | July 13, 2011 | Raising Debt Ceiling Critical for Real EstateIn a letter issued to President Obama and members of Congress, a diverse group of national business leaders, including Realogy CEO Richard A. Smith, called on lawmakers to raise the $14.3 trillion U.S. debt ceiling and commit to a deficit reduction plan.

Experts have said that failing to increase the debt ceiling would not only have significant implications on the economy in general, but also real estate. If the government defaulted on its bonds, the government likely would have to raise interest rates dramatically, which would in turn hamper home ownership. (Read more at Speaking of Real Estate.)

“It is critical that the U.S. government not default in any way on its fiscal obligations,” the business leaders wrote in the letter to lawmakers. “Treasury securities influence the cost of financing not just for companies but more importantly for mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, and student debt. A default would risk both disarray in those markets and a host of unintended consequences.”

The letter was signed by several associations and companies, including Realogy, the Business Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Financial Services Forum, the National Association of Manufacturers, and others.

Also in the letter, the group called on lawmakers to reduce the nation’s long-term budget deficits. “As businesses make plans to invest and hire, we need confidence that, in the absence of a crisis, our government will not reverse course and return to large deficit spending. ... Now is the time for our political leaders to put aside partisan differences and act in the nation’s best interests,” the letter stated. “We believe that our nation’s economic future is reliant upon their actions and urge them to reach an agreement. It is time to pull together rather than pull apart.”